So I’m getting annoyed by all of the comments and questions from people on my weight loss. I’m not comfortable sharing the fact that I had weight loss surgery, but I work in a VERY large medical office and literally every day somebody is commenting on my weight loss and asking what I’m doing. I don’t even know some of these people; I only know they work for our office because of their name tag. I was giving short non-committal answers, but people insist on continuing to ask questions. It’s gotten to the point that employees are approaching my assistant and asking her how I’m losing weight. I’m just over it. I can’t be too short or blunt with my responses because then I’LL be the one to get in trouble with HR (I know this from previous experience).

My husband thinks I should give every person who asks about my weight loss method a different answer. So tell one person I have a tapeworm, another person that an old gypsy woman put a curse on me, etc.

So, I am requesting your assistance. What is the most outrageous, completely ridiculous reason you can think of that I can use to explain my weight loss?

Other things we just came up with:

Meth. It’s a good thing for these masks so nobody can see my teeth!

Thoughts and prayers really DO work!

You could be direct. My cousin's husband ALWAYS comments on my weight to the point that it's inappropriate. He said something at my father's funeral and I said, COULD WE NOT TALK ABOUT MY WEIGHT?

I suggest:

MYOB or Roller derby

8 minutes ago, JessLess said:

You could be direct. My cousin's husband ALWAYS comments on my weight to the point that it's inappropriate. He said something at my father's funeral and I said, COULD WE NOT TALK ABOUT MY WEIGHT?

I suggest:

MYOB or Roller derby

I would love to, and I am very direct in general, but that combined with my resting b***h face has caused me to be “counseled” several times about how I’m “aggressive” when I interact with people (not in regards to this, but other things, as well). Cuz if you have a vagina you’re not allowed to be direct or you’re considered a b***h. If I’m not at work, I don’t give a ****, but this is literally happening multiple times a day in my workplace.

Also, I asked the HR lady for tips on what to say to avoid me getting in trouble for being aggressive, and her advice was “just thank them.” Um, yeah, I’m not gonna do that.

Edited September 5, 20205 yr by stacer12

6 minutes ago, stacer12 said:

I would love to, and I am very direct in general, but that combined with my resting b***h face has caused me to be “counseled” several times about how I’m “aggressive” when I interact with people (not in regards to this, but other things, as well). Cuz if you have a vagina you’re not allowed to be direct or you’re considered a b***h. If I’m not at work, I don’t give a ****, but this is literally happening multiple times a day in my workplace.

Also, I asked the HR lady for tips on what to say to avoid me getting in trouble for being aggressive, and her advice was “just thank them.” Um, yeah, I’m not gonna do that.

Aggressive is what they call assertive women. Ya got that right.

13 minutes ago, stacer12 said:

I would love to, and I am very direct in general, but that combined with my resting b***h face has caused me to be “counseled” several times about how I’m “aggressive” when I interact with people (not in regards to this, but other things, as well).

With a smile on your face change the subject without even responding to the questions or with the same smile say you body or anything related to it isn't up for discussion.

If HR say anything about that, you can tell them you were were pleasant to those who you feel are harrassing you. In fact you'd like to lodge your own complaints due to the constant invasive personal questions.

Tell them you're on Whole30 diet and go to gym.

I'm not planning to tell anyone at work that I had WLS, either, so I'm not sure what I'll say if people start asking (I've lost over 90 pounds in the last 6 months and nobody has said anything so far, but I'm still pretty big, so it might be a while before they notice). My plan is to say something like, "Wow, that's a personal question!" My backup plan for persistent people is something vague like "high protein, low-carb," which is technically true, or maybe just, "eating healthier."

If you want people to leave you alone/run away screaming, you could say you're in an MLM (Herbalife, Beach Body, Arbonne, ItWorks... or all of the above) and invite them to join your team for an amazing business opportunity.

P.S. I'd like to recommend a book you might like: How to be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings by Sarah Cooper.

Tell them you doing Noom. Everyone is looking for a diet that is easy and fast. Only my husband knows I had WLS . I did have my hernia repaired so that is what I told everyone my surgery was for. I don’t want WLS to define me. I hope I can handle the questions when they come. I’m only 10 days out but I returned to work on day 6.

Parkour, Cross-fit, chemo, bulimia, HIV, stomach cancer/ ulcers. The worse thing you tell them, the quicker they'll shut up about it.

I work in a large hospital so I see some of the same people on a daily basis but don't really know them...in the elevator, security at the front door, cafeteria etc. When those people started asking how I was losing so much weight my go to answer was always, "A lot of hard work!" Eventually they get used to it and stop asking.

8 hours ago, BigSue said:

P.S. I'd like to recommend a book you might like: How to be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings by Sarah Cooper.

Thank you for the recommendation, I just put that in my Amazon cart!

3 hours ago, stacer12 said:

Thank you for the recommendation, I just put that in my Amazon cart!

It is satire, not serious advice, but it's a hilarious portrayal of some of the problems we ladies face in the workplace like being considered aggressive if we act like we know what we're doing and bitchy if we don't smile all the time.

I’ve had men come up to me in my office, interrupt what I’m doing, and just ask why I’m not smiling, and that I would look better if I would smile. Like why the hell would I be just sitting here smiling while I’m working on my computer? That would be f**king weird. And why would you say that to me? Would you tell a man the same thing? No, no you wouldn’t. I’m not a f**king trained chimp here for your entertainment or to make you feel better about yourself. Although if I were a chimp, I would at least have an excuse to fling poop at these people. That would be pretty awesome.

Edited September 5, 20205 yr by stacer12

38 minutes ago, stacer12 said:

I’ve had men come up to me in my office, interrupt what I’m doing, and just ask why I’m not smiling, and that I would look better if I would smile. Like why the hell would I be just sitting here smiling while I’m working on my computer? That would be f**king weird. And why would you say that to me? Would you tell a man the same thing? No, no you wouldn’t. I’m not a f**king trained chimp here for your entertainment or to make you feel better about yourself. Although if I were a chimp, I would at least have an excuse to fling poop at these people. That would be pretty awesome.

Oh yeah, so annoying to be told what facial expression you should have! I have never once heard anyone tell a male coworker to smile.

I tell people I’m eating better and exercising more. Both true. If they press I don’t commit to any one named diet I just say I have a protein shake for breakfast and lunch and a small meal for dinner. Adjust as needed if they see you eating something else during the day. It’s none of their business but I understand the difficulty with being blunt and rude to people you have to see every day. If you give a named diet I find it opens up the door for more questions. “Oh I heard that.... etc” . End it with “I’ve tried so many fad diets in the past but I feel like I’m doing good and I hope it’ll stick better, wish me luck!” That kind of puts a close to the conversation, tells them that you’re worried about success which is more in line with the mentality of people dieting vs surgery and leaves them with little else to say other than good luck etc.